1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to insulation and, particularly, to methods and apparatuses for securing safing insulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern, multiple story buildings may be formed with an external wall structure that is secured to a floor slab. The external wall structure, or curtainwall, is secured to the slab, which is made of concrete, at a distance spaced away from the slab. By creating a gap between the slab and the curtainwall, proper alignment of the curtainwall is ensured. For example, in the event that the slab for a particular floor is not entirely straight or the slabs of adjacent floors are not properly aligned, the size of the gap between the curtainwall and a slab may be adjusted at various points along the slab to align the curtainwall so that it is substantially straight along the entire length and/or height of the building.
While the gap created between the curtainwall and the slabs of a building may be necessary to allow for proper alignment of the curtainwall, in the event of a fire, smoke, hot gasses, and/or flames may pass from one floor to another through the gap between the curtainwall and the slabs. In order to prevent smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire from passing freely through this gap, safing insulation may be positioned between the slabs and spandrels of the curtainwall. Specifically, the spandrel areas of the curtainwall may be backed by a layer of spandrel insulation and the safing may be positioned between the spandrel insulation and the slabs in order to fill the gap between the spandrels and the slabs.
In order to increase the ability of the safing insulation to prevent the passage of smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire, the safing insulation, which may be manufactured from mineral wool, for example, is compressed before being inserted between the spandrel insulation and the slabs. The safing insulation is then maintained in a compressed condition between the spandrel insulation and the slabs. By maintaining the safing insulation in a compressed condition, the density of the safing insulation is increased, which increases the ability of the safing insulation to prevent the passage of smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire therethrough. However, due to the compression of the safing insulation, the safing insulation exerts pressure on the spandrel insulation that may cause the spandrel insulation to bend, bow, or otherwise deform. As a result of the deformation of the spandrel insulation, the safing insulation may decompress, which decreases the ability of the safing insulation to prevent the passage of smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire therethrough.
In order to overcome this problem, stiffening brackets or stiffening tees have been secured to the spandrel insulation adjacent to the safing insulation. These stiffening tees or stiffening brackets may be formed of metal and may extend between opposing mullions in the exterior wall structure of the building to provide sufficient rigidity to the spandrel insulation. In this manner, the stiffening tees or stiffening brackets prevent the deformation of spandrel insulation by resisting the forces exerted on the spandrel insulation by the compressed safing insulation. While stiffening tees and/or stiffening brackets are effective, stiffening tees and/or stiffening brackets are difficult to position and secure. Specifically, due to the small space existing in the gap formed between the perimeter edge of the slab and the spandrel insulation, the amount of time and effort needed to properly install the stiffening tees and/or stiffening brackets is increased.